Harry Potter is dead?
by Chichi2701
Summary: What if things went differently after Harry decided to hand himself over to Voldemort? What if Voldemort does not die that day and the world thought Harry Potter is dead? Find out!
1. 1 Before the storm

During the battle of Hogwarts, Voldemort demanded Harry Potter to come to the Forbidden Forest to turn himself in. The story begins when Harry decides to go, even though he promised his friends he wouldn't.

**Before the Storm**

He had to go, there was no other way. Ron and Hermione knew what they had to do. They had to kill the snake. If they couldn't do it, maybe Neville would be able to. Once Nagini was dead, it was only Voldemort himself. When Harry was dead, there would be no horcruxes to protect Voldemort.

The others would do it. They would be successful, they had to be. Voldemort would be defeated. He caused so much suffering, so many people died fighting him and his followers. All of the fallen did their part so that the wizarding world had a chance of overthrowing Voldemort. The fact that they were able to even build up a resistance was thanks to the dead and their sacrifices.

Now, Harry had to play his part to lay the foundations for a victory against the dark side. What happened after his death, was out of his control. The only thing that was left for him was hope. Hope that they would triumph.

Maybe Professor McGonagall would be able to fight the Dark Lord. Voldemort would be weakened und Minerva McGonagall probably was the most powerful witch Harry ever met.

He had to believe in all of them, there was nothing else he could do. Would they be disappointed with him? Or even worse: angry? After all he was going to sacrifice himself, to face Voldemort with no intention of coming out of the confrontation alive, even though he promised them he wouldn't do it.

How they would react when they found out he was dead? Which emotions would be mirrored in their faces? Well, he'd never find out.

He had to go now, before the others would get worried and come to check on him. It had been noticeably long, since he was with them. He was sitting on a stair in third floor, pondering about his possibilities. Nobody else was there, it was so wonderfully quiet. It was the first time in what felt like an eternity that he was able to sort his thoughts.

Slowly Harry stood up, his everything hurting with every move. The previous battle left it's mark on him. He had seen his friends die. He saw people that were closer to him than anyone else, lying on the floor in front of him: pale, covered in blood with despair evident in their eyes.

He climbed down the stairs, putting one foot in front of the other. Harry swayed as the pictures of the people he loved burned themselves into his head, with no intention of getting out. As he arrived in front of the Great Hall, he feared that someone could see him, trying to convince him to stay, to not hand himself over to Voldemort. To a certain extent he probably even wished for exactly that to happen, that someone would stop him, to lift this burden off his shoulders. But his concerns were unfounded, nobody looked his way.

The people in the hall were busy tending to the wounded and mourning their dead. As he watched them his eyes found the Weasleys, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley to be precise. They knelt next to Fred, Molly Weasley caressing the red hair of her recently deceased son with a loud cry. Arthur Weasley tried to comfort her, but he too started sobbing. Losing a child was the worst thing any parent could go through.

That scenery hurt Harry more than words could ever express. He turned away and didn't look back as he went down the path leading to the Forbidden Forest.

As soon as he stepped out of the walls of Hogwarts, a cool breeze swept across his face. The fresh air of spring laid itself on him as if to comfort him. Every now and then he saw traces of the previous battle. Wandering down the path Harry noticed a big puddle of blood in the grass. He prayed that the one who lost his blood there could be saved (as long as it wasn't a death eater.) But among further inspection, he doubted it.

Eventually he passed by Hagrid's hut. It was completely burnt down and it seemed that someone blasted the masonry away. As he thought about it he noticed that he hadn't seen Hagrid for a while now. He hoped that nothing bad happened to him. Hagrid had always been there for them and they were always ready to help him out if he managed it yet again to get himself into trouble.

Completely lost in his thoughts, he didn't notice how close he had already gotten to the Forest. If he took one more step, there would be no turning back. Steeling his nerves, he entered the dark, moldy smelling Forbidden Forest.

To the well organized mind,

death is but the next great adventure.

\- Dumbledore.

**A big tank-you to my awesome beta-reader _xxshannaro!_**


	2. 2 In the forest

**In the forest**

Harry would have never thought that his life would end this way, in the woods, in front of the eyes of all those people who have caused him, his family and his friends, that were as close as family, so much suffering. While he was wandering as if he was in a trance, he remembered what Dumbledore had left him. He rummaged the small ball it in the pouch he wore around his neck. After he fetched the Snitch out of it, Harry read the letters engraved in the gold. He looked at the inscription, as he had done for countless times in the past: „I open at the close. "

Snitches can contain objects Hermione told him. He supposed that is was true, at least he couldn't remember Hermione ever being wrong in a matter of knowledge. Harry felt pretty stupid, but he put the Golden Snitch to his mouth, maybe it would trigger some kind of reaction. He didn't simply catch his first Snitch, he nearly swallowed it after all – nothing happened. He looked at it expectantly, but it laid in his palm, unmoving. Just as he wanted to put it back into his pouch, something stirred in his hand. He opened it and found the Snitch – opening itself. A dark stone was in it and it lifted itself into the air. There was a symbol engraved in the stone, Harry recognized it as the symbol of the Deathly Hallows. Not long ago that symbol raised many questions to Ron, Hermione and himself. It was obvious that the stone could only have one use. It had to be the resurrection stone. He closed his hand around it tightly and thought about all the people he loved – and lost. People that lost their lives in the fight against Voldemort.

When he opened his eyes again, he saw them: His parents, Sirius and Remus. Fred was also there; his light did not shine as brightly as the others, but he was clearly visible. The sight before his eyes made him incredibly sad. Harry's parents looked at him with a mournful expression, but there was also pride visible in their eyes. Pride like only parents could feel it. Sirius looked sorrowful while Remus smiled at him. That kindness considering the fact that Lupin recently became a father, bothered him. Without even really thinking about it, Harry said: „Remus, I … I'm … I'm sorry … so sorry. Your son… "

With an unchanged smile he responded: „One day he will understand why his parents died. Besides of that: He is not alone. "

„No, he isn't. ", Harry said. It was hard for him to even make a sound. He felt as if a dementor was stealing the air from his lungs.

Harry looked around; his eyes stopped when his eyes found those of his parents. „You are so brave, sweetheart. ", Lily said with an affectionate voice.

„You don't have to go through this alone, we'll be with you the whole time.", James tried to calm him. Harry managed to smile – just a very little smile, but he tried nonetheless for the sake of his parents.

He turned his head and faced Sirius, the only one who still had a sombre expression on his face. Before Harry could say anything he spoke: „I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry. I'm sorry that I left you alone, that I couldn't be there for you when you needed me so badly. I wasn't by your side… I'm sorry." Tears silently ran down his face.

Sirius words hurt, but Harry managed to phrase an answer: „There is nothing you have to apologize for. Life has gone bad for all of us. And besides … I'm not alone."

Now even Sirius smiled, it seemed like he was finally able to find peace after he and Harry were able to talk one last time.

At last Harry heavy-heartedly faced Fred. He had no words left for him and now it was his turn to weep. He fell to his knees – all emotions he had kept to himself up until know finally showing on his face. He expected Fred to look angry or maybe disappointed, but Harry could see none of that. When Harry had calmed down a bit Fred spoke: „Can you do me a favour, Harry?"

„Of course … anything …"

„Please tell mom I love her, and that she doesn't have to worry. Tell her, I hardly even noticed it, it didn't really hurt, it was instantly over.

Please tell George that he's still the best looking and eloquent redhead of all. Well, that's no surprise with a twin like me."

After Fred finished his sentence he smiled broadly at Harry. „Oh, and Harry: „It wasn't your fault. I know you have a tendency of feeling guilty for things you had nothing to do with. It was my own decision to take part in this fight. I knew the risk and took it. My free decision led to this, and I didn't die in vain after all."

Harry swallowed, but nodded. Even if he didn't say so, Harry was unspeakably grateful to Fred for that statement.

It was an odd situation. He, Harry Potter, was on his way to man that would kill him, yet five already dead stood in front of him and smiled at him encouragingly. Strengthened with new found courage he walked on. Harry noticed that he was still holding the resurrection stone in his clammy hand. Harry let it fall to the ground, without the intention of anybody finding it ever again.

"It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are,

far more than our abilities."

-Dumbledore


End file.
